Buckle



Patented Dec. i3, i921.

UNITED STATES GEORGE E. IPREIITICE, 01F BERLIN, CONNECTICUT.

BUCKLE.

Application filed March 15, 1927. Serial No. 175,491.

This invention relates to an improved form of buckle, more particularly suitable for belts such as are used for bathing suits or athletic costumes, for example, running trunks or the like.

This buckle is designed to have an easily operable fastening means which is more secure than that ordinarily employed with belts of this character so that unusual straining or twisting of the body will not accidentally unfasten the belt. A buckle of this character may advantageously consist of sheet metal buckle plates which may be readily stamped and formed out of pieces or" flat sheet metal at a low cost of manufacture.

In the drawing which exemplifies one form of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the buckle and adjoining portions of a belt;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of one of the complementary buckle plates;

Fig. 4c is a corresponding view of the other buckle plate;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the plate shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the buckle in its normal fastened position;

Fig. 7 is a view of. the buckle just as the safety lock is being snapped past its critical point; and

Fig. 8 is a View of the buckle plates in a position wherein they are readily detached.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a buckle comprising complemental sheet metal plates 1 and 2 which may for convenience in description, be designated as slot and hook members, respectively. The slot member 2 is illustrated more particularly in Fig. 3 and comprises a sheet metal element with marginal flanges 3 which are engaged by the pintles 7 of the toothed belt gripping member 8 in the conventional manner. Buckle plate 1 is shown more specifically in Fig. i and is also provided with marginal flanges 3 which also receive pintles 7 of a toothed belt gripping member 8 in the conventional manner.

Member 1 is provided with a hooked portion designated in general by the numeral 10 and comprising a pair of tongues 11 which are bent over to extend outwardly at an acute angle to the plane of the plate 1, Figs. 5 and 6. The tongues 11 are connected by a suitable strut 12 which is spaced from the body portion of the plate 1 by a slot 13 intermediate tongues 1, Fig. 5. The strut 12 preferably lies in a position which is substantially parallel to the plane of the body portion of member 1 and is connected to the tongues 11 by the twisted neck portions 14.

Plate 2 is provided with an outstanding lip 20 in which is located the irregular slot 21, this slot having aligned end portions 22 and an intermediate portion 23 oliset toward the outer edge of lip 20. The inner edge of slot portion 23 is defined by the tongue 2% which projects into the slot from the wall of the same, as disclosed in Fig. 3. Preferably tongue 24: is dimensioned to fit withinthe slot 13 of buckle plate 1; the parts being so arranged that, when the buckle plates are brought together to be secured in position, the ends of the tongues 11 are first loosely engaged in slot portions 22 and the outer edge of tongue 24 bears against the side of strut 12, as indicated in Fig. 8, the tongue and strut both being slightly resilient. The tongue in the position shown in Fig. 7 is then snapped past the strut 12 and sprung into the position shown in Fig. 6.

When it is desired to unfasten the buckle the relative movement of the buckle plates takes place in the reverse order, tongue 24. being snapped or sprung past the edge of strut 12 and the hooks 11 being disengaged from slot portions 22. While the outstand ing position of the tongues 11 facilitates the initial engagement of the buckle plates, it is evident that accidental disengagement of the same is prevented by the safety lock comprising tongue 24 and slot 17, and that the provision of tongues upon each of the complementary buckle plates. which engage corresponding slots upon the other buckle plate, serves to provide positive locking means for the buckle plates and yet does not interfere with instantaneous fastening or unfastening of the same.

I claim:

1. A buckle comprising complementary sheet metal buckle plates, one of said plates having a body portion and a bent-over hook portion, said hook portion comprising a pair of bent-over tongues connected by an intermediate strut, said strut being spaced from the body of the plate to provide a slot between the tongues, the other plate having an elongate slot adapted to receive said tongues and a tongue upon a portien of the wall ct that slot designed to snap into engagement with said first named. slot.

2. A buckle comprising complementary sheet metal buckle plates, one of said plates having a body portion and bent-over hook portion, said hook portion comprising a pair of bent over tongues extending at an acute angle to the body portion of the plate, and

an intermediate strut connecting said tongues, said strut lying substantially parallel to the body portion of the plate the mid-portion of a Wall of that slot arranged to snap past said strut into engagement with said first-named slot when the tongues are engaged in the elongate slot.

Signed by me at Berlin, Conn, this elev enth day oi March 1927.

GEORGE E. PRENTICE. 

